Philippe Gilbert

The thriving current state of German cycling stood out in sharp contrast to the sport's dirty past during the second stage of the Tour de France on Sunday.

As Marcel Kittel rode toward a commanding sprint victory to conclude a leg that began before large crowds in Duesseldorf, Germany, disgraced 1997 champion Jan Ullrich stood by the road as an uninvited spectator.

"It makes me really, really proud to see that this sport is now well accepted again in my home country," Kittel said. "There was definitely a time where not so many spectators were standing next to the road. And those who were there were showing signs with EPO syringes or other [stuff]."...

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The thriving current state of German cycling stood out in sharp contrast to the sport's dirty past during the second stage of the Tour de France on Sunday. As Marcel Kittel rode toward a commanding sprint victory to conclude a leg that began before...

Germany's Marcel Kittel met expectations and won the second stage of the Tour de France with a commanding sprint finish Sunday while three-time champion Chris Froome didn't lose any time despite falling to the pavement amid a mass crash on a wet corner....